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Spaying a Bitch

Neutering a Female Dog

The medical term for the spaying of a female dog (bitch)
is an ovario-hysterectomy. This consists of surgically removing the ovaries
and, usually, the uterus. It is considered to be a major operation since
there is a need to enter the abdomen. After it is as young as 8 to 10 weeks
of age, a female dog can be spayed at any age with differences arising
depending on the breed. After the operation, the owner would no longer be
able to breed from the bitch since the procedure is irreversible. Bitches
are generally spayed due to domestic problems, to stop the bitch going into
heat, or to prevent pyometra or ovarian cancer.

At what age should a female dog be
neutered?

Bitches can be spayed as early as eight to ten weeks
although there is some debate as to whether they should be allowed to have
their first season before the operation. It is believed by some practices
that spaying too early may stunt growth due to a lack of necessary hormones.
Whether this is true or not is widely argued throughout those involved in
Veterinary Medicine though the majority of contemporary views now argue
against the idea. Bitches must not be spayed during, or four weeks after,
the month of their heat cycle since this can cause complications during the
operation and is very dangerous.

The Operation

A pre-anaesthetic medication is given for sedation before the operation,
along with an intravenous anaesthetic in order to place a breathing tube
down the windpipe. During surgery, the main anaesthetic will be received by
the dog in a form of a gas along with the oxygen supply. The bitch will then
be connected to monitoring equipment including an ECG monitor and a pulse
oximeter in order to check the heart and the blood oxygen saturation. Once
these are recording accurately, veterinary nurses will then place the dog on
its back, clip the hair on the belly and disinfect this area by scrubbing
with surgical soap. A sterile towel is draped off the surgical site and this
is followed by a surgical drape.

The veterinary surgeon then creates an incision near the umbilicus around
3-5 inches long. The incision continues through the subcutaneous layer and
the body wall made up of muscle known as the linea alba. If any bleeding
occurs from small blood vessels, then these vessels will be clamped or
cauterised. The linea incision is extended and a spay hook is often used to
draw gently out one of the uterine horns.

The ovaries can then be located, isolated and pulled out through the
incision. To prevent the possibility of a haemorrhage, the ligament joining
the ovary to the abdomen (also known as a pedicle) is clamped with one of
the three clamps used in this procedure. Just above this clamp the second
one is applied in addition to the last clamp. This is placed on the other
side of the ovary to the first where the tissue is then completely removed.
The tissue between the second and third clamp is then severed and the third
clamp is taken away.

The veterinary surgeon then carefully places sutures
under the first two clamps and releases both final clamps. The pedicle is
gently put back into the abdomen. Once this is done, the process can be
repeated on the remaining ovary. The cervix will then be taken out from the
abdominal cavity. The uterus and the two ovaries can then be removed
following the cervix being clamped. Sutures are placed and the cervix is put
back into the abdominal cavity.

After this has been done and there is no bleeding, the wounds can be closed
up. The linea alba is the first to be sutured and this is followed by the
suture of the subcutaneous layer. The linea alba is closed with stainless
steel stitches and dissolvable ones are used at the subcutaneous layer.
Finally, the skin can be sutured and these are removed by the veterinary
surgeon ten days later.

Are there other ways to spay a female
dog?

Birth control medication is available for female dogs and
is required to be received orally. However, the majority of these are not
long lasting, cannot be used too frequently, are very expensive, and have
many negative side effects.

Post op care

In the majority of cases, the female dog can be returned home on the same day as
the operation. Though it will seem dazed and tired, these effects as a
result of the medication should wear off the next morning. The dog may be
offered a small portion of food and a little water after an hour at home and
some more several hours later. Overfeeding should be avoided due to the
anaesthesia. Furthermore, activity, including going outside, should be kept
to a minimum thus allowing the surgical wound to heal.

Myths

Spaying a female dog will result in her
becoming overweight

Following sterilisation, due to hormonal changes, the
bitch may experience a greater appetite. However, generally a larger amount
of food will not required and so an increase in weight will be by cause of
overfeeding and not as a result of the operation. This weight gain may also
occur if the dog is fed a high energy diet which was suitable when it was a
puppy but as it enters adulthood, is no longer needed.

It is too expensive to spay a dog

Dog spays are
relatively inexpensive when comparing to the complications, such as pyometra,
which can arise if the bitch is left unneutered. If owners simply cannot
afford to pay for the operation then there are charities available which can
help fund them. Most veterinary practices will have established contacts
with these charities and so will be able to give out their information to
those who require their financial aid.

It is unnatural to prevent dogs from having
puppies

It is
deemed by some against nature to sterilise a dog. However, it must be noted
that dogs themselves are only a result of human intervention anyway. Dogs do
not live a “natural” existence and so not spaying them cannot be for this
reason alone.

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